Ashes, Ashes
by Eselynne
Summary: (ON SCHEDULED REVISION) After returning through the gate and reinstating in the Military, Edward is send on a mission, General Mustang trailing behind. Though only time could tell them that this mission would send them on a spiral of events that would not only make them question their hope, but their sanity. (HeiEd, RoyxEd, PostCoS) (Warnings- BoyxBoy, Self Harm)
1. Ring around the Rosey

**Hello, Lieblings!**

**I'm bored as hell at 2 in the morning and i came up with heartwrenching guttwisting story!**

**If you havent seen Conqueror of Shamballa I suggest you gtfo because i am legally married to that movie and will make as many references as possible**

**Pairings- RoyxEd, HeiEd, RusselxEd, AlxWin **

**Rating- M for copious amounts of feels, self harm, and probably buttsex.**

**Summary- After getting back through the gate, and rejoining the military, Ed is sent on a mission of a chimera sighting, and General Mustang trails along. Only time could tell them that their mission sends them to a hellhole of twists and turns that make them not only give up on hope, but on their sanity. **

**Timeline- Post CoS (Set 2 years after movie)**

**Disclaimer- I don't own FMA nor am I doing this for money. I'm freaking bored at 2 am.**

**How much I love you guys- DIIIIIS MUCH! (Holds up large sign that says "Please Reveiw!")**

_It was a mission, a simple mission._

_Local, just a scouting for a chimera sighting._

_Nothing more._

_So why did I end like this?_

_-  
_Ed woke up with a jolt, panicking. How long did he sleep in?

A quick glance at the clock showed it was half past noon, an hour late for his mission report with Mustang. The blonde flew out of bed, and got ready as soon as possible, which wasn't all that fast because his mind was heavy with sleep, and buttons are hard to do with automail. The 20 year-old suddenly missed his simple clothes.

After a small breakfast, he dashed out the door, knowing he would get an earful. He jumped in the car he had been given for a welcome-back gift, and turned the ignition. The drive was short, but he was speeding, only a little bit.

After parking and running in, Edward greeted the team, who were just leaving for lunch.

"Morning, boss." Havoc chimed, the cigarette never leaving his mouth. "The Generals extra pissy today. Think he got dumped?"

Ed laughed, knowing it was probably true. "That or he couldn't get it up."

"Maybe!" Havoc laughed as Ed waved and walked off. He had started giving Ed warnings when Mustang was less than content, just for the sake of his health.

He walked through the door, his smile fading. Mustang was burying himself in work, scribbling furiously on his paperwork. "Sit down, Fullmetal." He murmured, eyes not leaving his desk. Ed sat down carefully, noting the bags under the Flame's eyes, the harsh lines of concentration. Did he ever sleep?

Finally, he sat, up, putting his papers into a folder. He looked to Edward with a smirk, but his eyes were tired. "Alright, for one, why were you late?"

"Slept in." Ed replied, cautious of Mustang's icy tone.

"Not a valid excuse. But your punishment comes later. Second, your mission is local, there's been a chimera sighting on the outskirts of town. No attack, just a sighting. But there's something strange."

"Okay?"

"The report was filed by Rose Tomas."

Ed froze, raising an eyebrow. Rose had been missing… for over a year….

"Okay… coincidence?"

"Not from the file."

"Alright. I'll go. I'll be back tomorrow with the report."

"I'm going with you, Fullmetal." the General stated, eyes cold and hard-set.

"Shove it, bastard. Just because Al's not with me doesn't mean I can't do a simple investigation." Ed snapped, eyes narrowing. He had been back from the other world for just over a month, and wasted no time getting back into the military. Ed wanted to go back under Mustang's command, and be where he truly felt at home. And yes, that included the bastard.

Mustang sighed. "Doesn't matter if you can do it, I'm coming with you so you don't blow anything up. Stop complaining, you brat."

The blonde huffed and slouched farther in the couch. "Gib mir das verdammte Adresse, General." (1) he sighed, not even realizing he had been speaking the wrong language. After speaking German for 4 years to everyone except his brother, it was hard to snap back immediately. At Mustang's raised eyebrow, he huffed, looked at the ground and repeated himself again, this time in the right language, minus the curse. "Just give me the address."

The raven-haired man smirked, and put some papers in a folder. "That won't be necessary, Fullmetal. I'll have the car take us there. Do you need a booster seat?"

Ed glared straight as Mustang's cocky, eye patched face. He ignored the insult, as they had gotten more common, and more offensive. "I don't need an escort! I'm not a stuck up snob like you!"

To say their relationship improved was very far from the truth. The newly appointed General wasted no time getting him and Ed back into their usual banter. Not that Edward particularly enjoyed it anymore. It was actually more hurtful, and Edward never returned it. Most people wanted to know where he went. Mustang simply didn't care. He didn't question the change in languages, any new words, and didn't even appreciate the higher level of maturity that Ed was _very _proud of, thank you very much. He just gave off his indifferent, better-than-you air that made Ed take back how much he'd missed the raven-haired man. He never was this bad. He used to be annoying, but relatable. Sometimes even human. Now he was just a dick.

Mustang narrowed his eyes, and stood up. "It's on the other end of town, an hour away. I don't feel like driving, and I'm certain you don't know how." he snorted, and started walking out of his office, leaving Ed to follow. He glanced over his shoulder, laughing shortly. "Probably too short to reach the peda-"

"I KNOW HOW TO DRIVE, BASTARD! I DROVE HERE! AND I CERTAINLY AM NOT TOO SHORT. I'VE GROWN IF YOU HAVEN'T NOTICED!" (2) Ed interrupted, yelling at the top of his lungs. Roy stopped, and gave an amused, skeptical look. Edward waited for him to ask a question, _wanted _him to ask a question, but he shrugged and kept walking.

"Even if you could drive, I don't exactly trust you to not get us in an accident. I'll have to pass. The escort is downstairs. Quit whining and come on."

They walked in silence, Roy in confidence, and Ed in thought. The blonde kept his head down, focused on the smooth tiles, only using the sounds of his C.O. to guide his footsteps.

Ed didn't know why he wanted Mustang's attention so much. Maybe it was because the General was brushing him off, or that he wanted his approval. Either way he felt like a bother to the older man. He reconsidered his jump back into the military, but decided it was too small an issue to dissuade him from being close to the few friends he had.

Besides, Edward Elric was not a quitter.

They reached the car, and got in silently. Mustang handed the escort the address, that of which Ed was yet to see, and sat in the front seat. Ed sat in the back, staying silent. It wasn't like him, but he didn't really need any more offenses from the snarky bastard riding up front.

They started off, and Ed decided pulled out a notebook he kept in his overcoat, and started to write. It was a journal of sorts, an autobiography of anything and everything that happened in the other world. No one had read it, and he wasn't sure if anyone would. He included everything he could. Romances, destinations, encounters, personal feelings, anything he could remember.

He didn't even realize he had fallen asleep until Mustang woke him up, an irritated scowl on his face. "Fullmetal, wake up. I can't believe you'd fall asleep like this. Such a child."

The blonde wanted to snap in his face for calling him a child, but felt no reason. It only encouraged the bastard to send more scathing remarks. He looked down in shame and got out of the car, shoving his notebook and pen into his dark brown overcoat, something he acquired as a gift from Alfons Heidrich, years before. (3)

_He had moved in with him, already establishing an romance between them, and as a house warming gift, they ended up buying each other over coats, without the other knowing. It was a sweet, fluffy reminder of his time in Munich, something he not only wrote down in his journal, but used as a way to ward off nightmares. In the jacket pocket there was once a letter from Alfons, simply stating, "I love you." _

_After they got together, Alfons had said he wanted a way to give his affections, but make it special. "Ich liebe dich is so normal. I want something special to say to you. Because, well, you're special." Ed remembered his embarrassed blush, and felt his heart warm. After a quite impressive housewarming night, Ed got up and decided to teach him some Armestrian, since no one in the area spoke the parallel equivilent, English. Starting off with 'I love you'. It meant so much to both of them, the words meaning more than what they did to anyone else. Purely because they were._

He shuffled out of the car, and closed the door, smiling fondly at the memory.

The air was damp and stuffy from the shower of rain only an hour earlier. It was high-noon, but the sky was dark with another impending storm. '_Ah well. Better get inside and get this over with.' _

He shoved his hands in his pockets and trudged forward, following the navy blue clad General in front of him.

He looked at the building, and stiffened up, mind filling with panic and dread. Memories flooded his mind. The abandoned church. The 'true' laboratory. The underground city. The last battle. The portal. His death. He looked around, knowing that no one else knew what lay here, and suddenly felt sick to his stomach.

A place with so many name could only be suited for one. Hell.

(1) I don't know German, but since it's a large part of the CoS movie, it's in here too. I'm using Google Translate, so it's not perfect. If I make any mistakes, pleaaaase correct me!

(2) In CoS Ed was driving. Even though he crashed at the beginning (haha) he was still quite able when he drove the pride-double to the castle.

(3) Headcannon mode! Yeah, Past!HeiEd is in this. c:


	2. Pockets full of Posey

_**THIS STORY WILL NOT UPDATE THAT FAST**_

_**I HAVE MADE THE MISTAKE OF STARTING LIKE 5 DIFFERENT STORIES AT ONCE AND NOW I SUFFER!**_

**by the way i love you c:**

Ed was stuck, completely unable to move. When was the last time he willed himself to come to building? To see the Tringhams, right? To get the last clue. To walk into a trap. To never see those cheerful blonde brothers that only wanted to help ever again...

"Just come back... just come back alive!" Russell had yelled as he descended those stairs. (1)

And he did. Just... 4 years too late.

The building was rotting, more so than it was years prior. The grotesque twists of metal, lined with jagged ends of broken glass gave a gothic look, along with the peeling paint and faded trims.

Did the General even realize where he was standing? A city lies beneath his feet. An empty graveyard for the souls that had lost their lives... Ed looked to Mustang, who was giving him an impatient glare. The blonde shook his head and walked backwards as the escort drove off. "I-I can't do this..." he stuttered, and Mustang turned to look at the building again.

"What's wrong, pipsqueak? Let's go. This is your mission. Not a big deal." he snapped, apparently less patient than usual. He grabbed Ed's right wrist, and pulled him along. Ed found his feet moving against his will, pulling him towards more bad memories than the transmutation of their mother. His movements were jerky and uncoordinated. If the General noticed he didn't mention it. Nor did he let go of his automail wrist.

He pushed through the double doors, and examined the deathly familiar congregation space. Broken glass, beaten down, rotted wood, that _**stench. The smell of his father. **_(2)

Ed stood frozen, taking in his surroundings. He saw the opening of the underground city open, the darkness of what he could only describe as hell. Is that where the chimera had come from? Was Tucker somehow down there, swimming in insanity? Apparently no one had seen him since the Fuhrer was taken down.

Mustang, however, was walking around, looking through doors and under benches. He looked over to his subordinate, scowling. "A little help? Jeez, I'm not doing your mission for you. Go look through that entrance over there."

Ed stopped all thought, and succumbed to the mindset he'd put recently. '_Just to impress Mustang. This is for the General. No emotion involved. Just to impress Mustang. Get some damn respect.' _He started moving heavy limbs towards the entrance he'd seen in his nightmares.

He stopped just short of the open doors, and turned towards the General. This all seemed unreal. Besides, there was no one down there, right? "It goes down a really long way." he started in a shaky voice, cursing himself for sounding so uncertain. "We'd have to go down together."

Ed knew he only said that out of fear, not out of safety. This was not like him, dammnit! He was the Fullmetal Alchemist, not the Fluffy-Pansy-Scared-of-Anything Alchemist! He took death and laughed in its face!

The blonde pulled his shoulders back and tried to put on a confident face as the General rolled his eyes and walked in Ed's direction, peering into the downward depth of a stairway. He turned to Ed, giving a skeptical look. "How could you possibly know that? I can't see anything."

Ed sighed, and decided that it was best just to tell him it was no big deal, or that it was a dead end, but knew that if he did that, he'd be called a childish coward and he would feel worse. "It goes down for about a quarter mile. I've been here before." (3)

Roy looked shocked. "A quarter mile? What's down there? What do you mean you've been here? I've never sent you here. Oh, I know. You probably got curious and screwed something up." he shot, raising his eyebrow.

Suddenly, anger welled up inside the blonde. It was a burning ball of fury that he felt was there for a long time. He looked up, eyes burning into the obsidian one of Roy Mustang. "No, you never sent me. You were too busy getting shot in the face! Where the hell do you think I went before I disappeared, asshole?! Oh, that's right. You don't fucking care!"

His voice hung in the air, echoing off the walls of the abandoned church.

The General looked genuinely hurt, looking away from the fuming alchemist. Ed wanted to apologize for bring up memories that probably hit him hard, but he knew he meant every word, and after all the shaming Mustang had been doing for the past month, he deserved to at least tell him.

After a minute of stale tension, Mustang suddenly shot out of whatever thought he was in, and turned to the blonde, speaking in a soft voice. "Well, personal offenses aside, what's down there, Fullmetal?"

Ed put on the same facade he had earlier. He was thinking he had developing PTSD (4) or something. He looked to the General, putting on a confident smirk, trying to ignore the feeling of shame and hurt from the General's brushing off of his words. He looked up with a fake smile, bouncing. "Nothing of interest. Just a bunch of abandoned buildings. There's one I have to visit, though." he started down the steps. "Come on, Flame! Not getting any taller!"

Mustang followed behind, holding a small flame in his hand, guiding the way that Ed already knew. It was hard to forget.

Ed kept going, hoping Mustang wasn't too deterred by the gothic statues crumbling around them. His hands were no doubt shaking with dread, but it was true that he had to visit one building while he was down here. The last one he saw. He had to make sure that array of blood was destroyed. There was no telling that someone wouldn't saunter down there and accidentally turn themselves into the depths of the Gate. He and Truth (5) were quite acquainted by now. Ed didn't know how many meetings they had, but it certainly was more than he ever needed in life. All he had to do was make sure he never saw that blob of white snarkiness and sadism again.

He thought back to what he had said to Mustang. It was true that he meant what he said, but he didn't know the full story. Nobody would talk about how the General was when Ed was gone, so he had just figured he was the same. Maybe something happened, and that's why he was being so mean. He felt bad, slightly shamed at yelling at him because of this whimsical event that may or may not have happened.

They traveled downward for about 10 minutes until Mustang spoke up. "Fullmetal? I'm sorry about... not being there..." he trailed off quietly.

Ed felt his heart drop. He almost wanted to brush off the apology, but he remembered talking with Riza before he left about how badly Mustang was at showing emotions. At how he was protective of those close to him, and an apology was rare, even in the best of times.

The blonde glanced over his shoulder and nodded, smiling faintly.

After a couple minutes of silence, in the seemingly relentless downfall of steps, they reached the end. They peered out over the city, over the transmutation circle that encased it. The blonde felt a churning in him stomach, dread practically spilling out of every pore. He swallowed, closed his eyes, and waited for the General to say something.

After a minute of prolonged silence, Roy finally spoke. "Fullmetal, you said there was only a _couple _abandoned buildings down here. I never imagin- never believ- Gate, what the hell is this? It's just like Lior. Why did you bring me here?"

Ed wanted to snort and tell him that _he _was the one to bring them, not the smaller alchemist, but simply sighed, keeping his eyes closed. He spoke softly, trying not to add any bullshit. "This was the town of Rachem. 400 years ago a pair of alchemists named Dante Aversion and Hoenhiem of Light sacrificed all the people in this city to make a Philosophers Stone. They then pulled the empty city under here to bury the evidence. The only way down here was from the abandoned Church of Christ, and the Fuher's office. Now let's find your chimera."

He opened his eyes and started down the large stone steps to the city, but quickly realized no one was following him. He turned back to the General, who was still looking out over the city, a shocked look on his face.

Ed walked over, tapping his shoulder, pulling the older man out of his trance. "Eh, let's go."

Roy just looked at Ed with desperate, panic filled eyes. "Edward. Tell me it isn't true. That was a joke right? A joke?"

Ed stepped back, slightly surprised. He hadn't expected him to be so put off. The blonde figured he already knew most of it, and just didn't know about the city.

Roy looked over to the graveyard-buildings again, pleading. "Tell me it isn't true. Please..."

Ed only looked at him calmly, silently musing that their positions were reversed. "It's true. What reason would I have to lie?"

Mustang stopped, eyes widening. "The city…. It's like Lior?"

Ed nodded, hoping there was gears turning in that rock of a brain so he wouldn't have to explain much.

"B-but… Hoenheim… he… he wasn't 400 years old!" The raven stammered, grabbing Ed by the shoulders.

Edward just sighed, and let him down the crumbling stone steps to the buildings below. When he started to speak, it was only a light whisper . "He used the stone to jump bodies. Now let's go. I have to check something."

Mustang suddenly turned back into the confident, snarky General he was. "Well Fullmetal. This is a lot to tell me. You realize I could have you court martialed for that information, right?"

Ed sighed. Of course he would pull this. He'd want something. "Why, of course. But do you also know that I could have you court martialed for sleeping with the secretary from Investigations? You guys aren't exactly quiet."

Mustang sputtered incoherently, making Ed smirk. They continued their decent until they reached cobblestone flooring. Their steps echoed through the hall, along with the faint sound of… music?

Edward stopped for a minute, listening to the faint chimes of song that came from somewhere near the…

Before Mustang could ask questions, Ed was running, sprinting to the ballroom. He knew he recognized it, he knew exactly where he last hear it. After about 5 minutes of running, and tuning out Roy's impaitent calling, he got to the pristine ballroom. Everything else was in ruins, except for this bright, decorative building. He pushed open the doors, like he had done before in the past.

There was only one person waiting for him. A woman, dressed in an elaborate cream and navy ball gown, with long brown and pink hair. She had a distant look in her eyes, and a serine, content smile. Ed stopped suddenly, and his hands were shaking again.

Finally, Rose Tomas spoke in a sickly sweet voice that never once belonged to her.

"We've been waiting, Edward Elric."

(1) The tringhams brought Ed here near the end of the series. Those adorable shits.

(2) The smell of rotting flesh and alchemy residue, mentioned a lot in the series

(3) I don't know how far down it went. :x

(4) Ptsd- post traumatic stress disorder: Roy has it, Ed probably has it, Hell, i have it.

(5) 2003 plot, brotherhood gate. c:


	3. Ashes, ashes

**I like the concept of this story and I have so many good ideas it's just when I write them down they turn to poop**

**I don't even know where I'm going**

**If you haven't already guessed, there will be a **_**lot **_**of HeiEd (Alfons HeidrichxEdward) and if you don't ship that, I slightly suggest you leave the happy couple to do their… doing.**

**I love you guys, reveiws are wonderful!**

Walking down those confusing stone steps, Roy took the silent opportunity to think.

The mission was simple, but by the look on Edward's face, this place was just a huge pile of bad memories. His pupils were pinpricks; his hands were shaking, and these stairs that just went deeper and deeper.

He wasn't going to say he didn't regret being an ass to the blonde, nor was he going to say being yelled at didn't hurt, but he couldn't tell Ed the truth. He just couldn't. Not yet.

To be honest, it was hard to explain. It was an unsaid taboo to mention, as Riza puts it, "Mustang's Tantrum in the North" where he escaped the Military and everyone in it to the Northern post to mourn his Fullmetal to Edward, as was it to mention anything related to his actual feeling to the alchemist.

And then the little brat just bounces back into this world, smiling and laughing and being goddamn adorable… He'd even grown!

He hated being so rude and distinct to Ed. He did! He was opening up to the team, telling them stories of this other world, going to lunch with them, but where was Roy? Sitting in his office alone drowning himself in his own self regret. But there wasn't any other way to keep him at arm's length without telling him what was going on. And he knew he couldn't do that.

He imagined how the conversation would go.

"_Hey, Fullmetal. Funny story, I'm being an ass to because I love you and I want to spend the rest of my life with you! So please stay completely away from me. Quitting the Military and leaving your only friends would be great! Thanks, love!__"_

_..._Yeah. That'd go down real nice.

The clunk of boots on cement was the only sound in the dark tunnel, echoing the Roy's thoughts. It was the same word over and over, the word he knew he needed to say, and make sure his Fullmetal knew he meant. _Sorry... Sorry… Sorry…Sorry…_

They traveled downward for about 10 minutes until Mustang spoke up, speaking what needed to be said in a cracking, shy voice. "Fullmetal? I'm sorry about... not being there..." he trailed off quietly.

Roy kept his head down, only focusing on the steps below him and the flame in his hand while Ed swallowed the apology.

After a couple minutes Edward turned over his shoulder, nodding twice and giving a fake smile.

They reached an opening, and Edward led the General to a ledge, looking over to a… city? There were hundreds of buildings, all encased within a huge familiar transmutation circle.

After a minute of prolonged silence, Roy finally spoke with careful, stern words. "Fullmetal, you said there was only a _couple _abandoned buildings down here. I never imagin- never believ- Gate, what the hell is this? It's just like Lior. Why did you bring me here?"

Roy saw the amusement on Edwards face, like this was some random trip to the park and nothing was wrong. He rolled his eyes and turned to the city, speaking in a bored tone. "This was the town of Rachem. 400 years ago a pair of alchemists named Dante Aversion and Hoenhiem of Light sacrificed all the people in this city to make a Philosophers Stone. They then pulled the empty city under here to bury the evidence. The only way down here was from the abandoned Church of Christ, and the Fuhrer's office. Now let's find your chimera."

Ed walked off, but Roy stayed still. _Dante Aversion and Hoenheim of Light… No… _

He heard faint footsteps, but paid no mind. He felt curious eyes on him and a tap at his shoulder, but he didn't respond. "Eh, let's go."

Then he snapped. All the people in this 'city', dead? For the Stone!? "Edward. Tell me it isn't true. That was a joke right? A joke?"

Ed stepped back, slightly surprised. He said nothing, which made Roy freak out more. Screw boundaries! Roy wanted to pull Edward close and keep him there for the comfort of knowing he was alive when so many people here were gone.

Roy looked over to the graveyard-buildings again, pleading internally. He knew what was here wasn't just a myth, but his mind wouldn't let him fully believe it. "Tell me it isn't true. Please..."

Ed only looked at him calmly, composure completely intact.. "It's true. What reason would I have to lie?"

Mustang stopped, eyes widening. He wanted to tell him that he had plenty of reasons to lie, to either sugar coat it or make this whole thing up. But he only stared blankly. "The city…. It's like Lior?"

Ed nodded, his expression that of a patient therapist as Roy kept coming up with impossibly conclusions.

"B-but… Hoenheim… he… he wasn't 400 years old!" The raven stammered, grabbing Ed by the shoulders.

Edward just sighed, pulling out of the hold and let him down the crumbling stone steps to the buildings below. When he started to speak, it was only a light whisper. "He used the stone to jump bodies. Now let's go. I have to check something."

Trying to cover up for his foolish break, he stood up straighter, and forced a smile on his face. "Well Fullmetal. This is a lot to tell me. You realize I could have you court marshaled for that information, right?"

"Why of course? But what do you have to lose? Other than your leash on me?" Edward purred, shutting Roy up completely.

They descended downward a cobblestone path for a few minutes silently. Their steps echoed through the hall, along with the faint sound of… music?

They both stopped suddenly. Ed looked to be in thought, but Roy was just confused. The music was probably coming from above the surface, some dance or something.

But before Mustang could grab on to him, Ed was running, sprinting madly in some random direction. Roy followed, calling after him as he dashed through alleyways and empty streets. Though Ed didn't respond to his name, military or otherwise, he did stop a large building.

It was huge, completely renovated with lights, music, and a flower out front.

Ed pushed open the doors, glaring like mad.

There was only one person in sight when they entered. A woman, dressed in an elaborate cream and navy ball gown, with long brown and pink hair. She had a distant look in her eyes, and a serine, content smile.

They stopped, staring at each other with a sickly reminiscent air.

Finally, the familiar Rose Tomas spoke in a sickly sweet, usually used for praising a small child.

"We've been waiting, Edward Elric."

Roy turned to Edward, who had gone completely pale. He was shaking like a leaf, his eyes glued on a figure standing behind the woman, who looked like Rose Tomas, but was nothing like her.

"Rose?" Edward rasped, his voice barely over a whisper.

She laughed, narrowing her dark blue eyes. "Not quite. I told you I'd get her body, didn't I? Too bad you'll never love me."

"Of course not, you old hag!"

"Oh, but dear, I know who you truly love."

Edward noticeably tensed, and Roy wondered why. Cautiously, he stepped beside him. He let out a warning growl. "Dante…"

"Lieutenant Hess told me. He would have stayed on this side, but… he found other matters to attend to."

Edward gasped, stepping back when someone came behind the woman.

"Ah, Edward. I'd like you to meet someone." She purred, smirking evilly.

Roy froze as a figure stepped out, a teenager with dusty blonde hair, and piercing blue eyes. He was wearing a tight black shirt that showed off his stomach, and long black pants. His head was cocked to the side in question, looking curiously at the other blonde, who was frozen stiff.

The foreign teen stepped forward several steps, so he was arms distance away with Fullmetal, and reached a hand out to brush against Edward's paled face. Curiously, he looked like Alphonse Elric, but more angular and buff. He looked older than Ed, but had a childlike interest in his eyes.

Edward was frozen with his eyes wide. He leaned into the hand in his face unconsciously, and continued to stare in disbelief. He grabbed the half-gloved wrist tenderly, apparently in his own world. "Wie zum Teufel ... Alfons?" (1) He muttered in that curious foreign tongue, smiling wide and other teen, Alfons? Smiled softly and nodded his head, placing a kiss on Edward's forehead, igniting whimsical jealousy within Roy.

The woman in the ball gown stood next to the couple, smiling smugly. She raised a hand, and snapped, and the teen fell out of Edwards embrace and scurried to her side, leaving him shocked and slightly confused.

Roy stepped to Edward's side shakily, barley acknowledged by the woman, who was petting the light blonde teens face.

"Edward, I would like you to meet Pride. He is my latest creation. A homunculus, no less, but with all the attributes of a human!" The girl cheered, clapping gloved hands together with a grin. "He even has memories. I hope you are very grateful I brought him here. The poor baby kept calling for you all through his treatment. Before I took his voice, he told me all his fiancé from some strange world. I didn't know you were such a romantic!"

'_Underground city, jumping bodies, crazy bitch, new Homunculi, Edward's fiancé…' _Roy went over his list of things he learned today, feeling even more lost and confused. He was most upset at the fiancé, actually.

Ed just stared with hopeful eyes, vision locked on Alfons? Pride? Who stared back with a longing gaze.

Tears were collecting in the younger alchemists golden eyes, and he suddenly fell to his knees. "Alfons… Alfons… Why are you here? How are you here? Dante… You did this… why is he here? How are you alive!? Where is Rose?!"

Roy wanted to go over and comfort the young blonde, but kept his distance in fear of interrupting. He didn't have a clue as to why Fullmetal was so helpless, scared, or lost.

"Edward, dear." 'Dante' purred, grinning like the bitch Roy already knew her to be. "His name is Pride. He can't speak yet, though if you help me I'll give him his voice. He has a beautiful song, don't you think? Don't worry, love. I won't keep you from him any longer. He's here because you love him. I may not fully believe in such an emotion, but I can tell your pure intention to him."

Roy gave a sharp look to Dante when a giddy laugh came from Edward, who was looking to the other side of the room. He knelt down beside him, only to be shoved away.

Dante stepped forward, smiling softly. "I'll give you 20 minutes with your precious fiancé." She snapped her hand, and the light blonde teen scrambled over to Ed's side, embracing him suddenly and knocking them flat to the ground. Roy watched as Edward returned the hug, sobbing loudly into the mute Homunculus's chest.

She smiled, and spoke loud enough for Edward to hear. "I see you fell for my chimera decoy. I knew you and Edward would come."

Roy raised an eyebrow. "Chimera… decoy?"

"Oh, I thought you were smart. It was fake. My chimeras are very tame, they would never be a threat. I just needed Edward down here to propose a plan."

He turned to Dante, who was admiring her nails. "What's stopping me from torching you right now?" he growled, raising his gloved hand as an extra threat.

She smirked, and shook her head, looking over to the couple, who were smiling and holding each other, mouthing words and talking happily in that curious language.

I stepped back, raising an eyebrow. She smiled and continued. "When I brought him back, I gave him part of my soul to bring him back from the other side. He feeds off of my being; it's the only thing keeping him alive. If I die, he dies, and look how happy you little Fullmetal is. You wouldn't want to hurt him, would you?"

Roy looked to Edward, definitely looked very happy. He was talking to the teen, holding a ring on a chain around his neck up, while Pride had a matching one held out from his pocket. They were both smiling happily, making Roy shake with jealousy and longing. .

"My proposition is simple, General Mustang." The woman sighed, turning back to her nails. "I have been much to gruesome to this child. We never really started on the right foot, and I'd like to make it up to him. He, the son of Hoenheim, comes with me. I give Pride his voice back, and let them have each other till the end of time. I give him food, books, space, and shelter. The only thing Edward has to do is give up his life on the surface. No military. No contact."

Roy stepped back; wide, furious eyes. "What do you want with him?"

"Ah, to have them under my control, of course. Any son of that monster needs protection from themselves. They're too precious to have running around, much too dangerous. Isn't that why you put Edward back under you watch?"

"Of course not! I care about him!"

"You say you care, but do you know what's best? I'm giving him everything he wants, and what are you doing?"

The General only stared.

"You're making his life hell. Running around, doing missions, catching criminals. The world is an ugly, horrible place full of violence and ignorance. It is the least I can do to help them have the peaceful life he deserves. You thought you were good at reading people, but all Edward wants is to settle down. He's done being the hero."

"I don't care what you say, I'm never letting him go again. I'd rather die than let you hurt him."

"Why would I? As sweet as your words are, I'm offering him peace, serenity, isolation, his true love. There is nothing more in the world one would want. I want him to be healthy, and help me with my alchemy."

"He would never agree to you! You want to take him away from us? From his friends and family for your selfish desires? Why? Why!?

"Because, love. I only mean to protect him from monsters like you. He is too beautiful a person to be wasted on such basic things as the Military."

"And what if he refuses? What if he wants to stay on the surface."

"Then I kill his fiancé and he never sees him again."

"You're sick."

"I don't see how. Pride, dear!" she called, bringing the attention of both teens; Edward sitting in the Pride's lap, and Pride, who was wearing the brown overcoat Ed came in with. "Come on, love. He'll be back, and you'll have all the time you want."

Alfons shot a longing glance to Dante, then a smile to Edward. The Homunculus turned to the teen in his lap, and placed a long kiss on his pouting lips. '_I love you' _he mouthed, getting up off the floor, keeping he coat and running back over to Dante.

Roy looked to Ed, who was touching his lips with one hand, and his heart with the other. He looked entranced, happy, and placid.

"Now, go along." Dante smiled, fixing Pride's hair. "I'll give you a week to make your decision, Edward. I hope you choose wisely."

And with that, they left, travelling back up to the surface, Edward smiling with brightness in his eyes, and Mustang fuming, thoughts clouded with the need to hold his blonde close and never let him go.

What the hell…Alfons?

**Ohhh I hate this chapter.**

**I haaaaaate it.**

**Please tell me if you understand it and stuff**

**Because I feel like crap (mentally & physically) and I need help**


	4. HIATUS AUTHOR NOTE

GOOD DAY, ALL READERS!

I know you're probably thinking this is an update, but I regret to inform you it is not.

**BUT THAT DOES NOT MEAN STOP READING GET BACK OVER HERE AND LISTEN**

I've been grounded for the past month, and when I came back, I had gotten a lot of beautiful feedback and tons of love, but I read back over all my fics and I realized that they need a _loooot _of improvment. Like, everytime I read them I cringe. They're horrible.

I'm going to be going on a sort of hiatus, I will not be updating any new chapters, but I will work, 1 story at a time (I made the mistake of starting 5 fics within 3 months goddamnit) and I will revise and edit my work.

Please understand that I do indeed love all of you, and that this is not because I do not like your feedback and suggestions, its just because I can't stand my own writing anymore.

Here is the order in which I will revise my fics, so any followers will know how long they're waiting.

1- Painful Smiles (RoyxEd)

2- No Consequences (RoyxEd)

3-Every Other (RoyxEd)

4- The Blade (EdxEnvy)

5- Ashes Ashes (HeixEd/RoyxEd)

I also have a lot going on in my life, so please please please be paitent while I get myself together and revise my work. I will start editing immediately, but I can't promise it will be a short time.

THANK YOU I LOVE YOU!

-Eselin


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